Here's our full, seven-round Patriots mock draft

The New England Patriots have a chance to course-correct after the worst season in the era of head coach Bill Belichick. They sputtered their way through free agency, but the splash that fans have patiently waited to see could occur at the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s the beginning of the Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf era, and New England has eight picks in total, including the No. 3 overall pick. It’s a rare position to be in for a team looking for a new franchise face to take over the reins at quarterback. But it isn’t just about the quarterback position.

The Patriots need game-changing playmakers at receiver and reliable offensive linemen to ensure that whoever is under center has a fighting chance.

More: This NFL Draft could create a path back to the Patriot Way. Who will Pats take?

More: Patriots reportedly have fans of both Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy in the building.

Offense remained the primary focus in this mock draft, and that is likely to be the case when the Patriots are on the clock in real time, beginning Thursday night.

Here’s how the board fell for New England in our full, seven-round mock draft:

Round 1, Pick No. 3: Drake Maye, quarterback, North Carolina

There has been plenty of smoke and mirrors up to this point with the Patriots playing up their trade interest. If there’s an unprecedented trade offer, they would obviously consider making a move, but for right now, New England seems far more likely to stay put and get its quarterback of the future.

Drake Maye has all of the tools to be a generational talent at quarterback. Whether he’s able to live up to that hype remains to be seen. He has the swagger, size, big arm, pocket talent and ability to scramble outside for off-script plays when things break down.

No, this is not a Mac Jones kind of prospect.

More: NFL draft trade candidates: Which teams look primed to trade up or down in first round?

Round 2, Pick No. 34: Xavier Legette, wide receiver, South Carolina

One of the more underrated wide receivers higher on the draft board is South Carolina’s Legette. He’s an explosive playmaker with the kind of freakish physical attributes the Patriots have been missing on their roster at receiver for more than a decade.

This is exactly the sort of player the Patriots should be targeting when they talk about weaponizing the offense. Legette could open things up in a whole new way for the receiving corps.

He would also serve as a strong No. 1 option to grow with the rookie quarterback. Watching Maye launch home run balls to Legette is a good way to put butts in seats.

A TRADE!

Patriots get 2024 third-round pick (No. 76), 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 136); Broncos get 2024 third-round pick (No. 68)

Don’t be surprised to see the Patriots work the board in this draft, particularly with several holes to fill on the roster. Coach Jerod Mayo said in March that the guaranteed way to win is "to accumulate more picks.”

They manage to do so by trading down several spots in the third round with the Denver Broncos and getting an extra fifth-round pick in the process.

More: For Patriots long snapper, victory on the battlefield means something very different.

Round 3, Pick No. 76: Devontez Walker, wide receiver, North Carolina

One receiver isn’t going to be enough for the night-and-day change the Patriots are hoping to see. So, they double up by reuniting Drake Maye with his favorite receiving target from North Carolina, Devontez Walker.

The combination of Walker and Legette with Demario Douglas and K.J. Osborn working underneath would be a dramatic offensive shift for the Patriots. Getting another receiver in this spot is a gamble, particularly with help needed on the offensive front. But there’s real value in the middle rounds at the offensive tackle position.

Round 4, Pick No. 103: Blake Fisher, offensive tackle, Notre Dame

The Patriots will wait until the fourth round to finally start addressing their offensive tackle issues. Notre Dame’s Blake Fisher played opposite Joe Alt, who is the best offensive tackle on the draft board. So, being in the spotlight with such an exceptionally talented player has cast a large shadow over Fisher.

An argument could be made that Fisher is actually being underrated in this draft. He has the size and talent to be effective in both the running and passing games right off the bat. More importantly, he would add depth to a depleted position that didn’t get much help in free agency.

Round 5, Pick No. 136: Matt Goncalves, offensive tackle, Pittsburgh

New England double-dips at offensive tackle here with one of the more intriguing mid-round prospects still on the draft board. Pittsburgh’s Matt Goncalves might have been projected higher if he didn’t miss most of the 2023 season with an injury. So, this is one of those picks that could be looked back on as a steal one day.

Goncalves’ versatility in playing both left and right tackle might be the best selling point for the Patriots. He combines his physical gifts with solid technique on the field, which should help him go far at the next level.

Round 5, Pick No. 137: Khyree Jackson, cornerback, Oregon

The Patriots went mostly offense in this mock draft, but they do manage to address cornerback, which is also a position of need. Both Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones are coming off season-ending injuries and Jonathan Jones isn’t getting any younger.

Jackson is another rangy defender to put opposite Gonzalez to help shut things down on the back end. He was a proven playmaker for the Ducks in 2023 with three interceptions and seven pass deflections.

Round 6, Pick No. 180: Christian Jones, offensive tackle, Texas

New England isn’t done at offensive tackle after taking Fisher and Goncalves. They add even more depth in the sixth round with Texas offensive lineman Christian Jones. One of the biggest problems for the Patriots last season was their offensive tackle depth.

They depended on aging veterans, which was basically throwing duct tape on the problem and hoping it will go away. Taking an exceptional young player like Jones, who has real upside potential, should get them back on the right path.

Round 6, Pick No. 193: Dallin Holker, tight end, Colorado State

Injury concerns might scare other teams away from Holker, but he could become a solid NFL tight end if he’s able to overcome those issues. He’s a proven playmaker as a receiver, and he mixes that well with great blocking in both the running and passing departments.

Despite being projected late, Holker is one of the more complete tight ends in this draft. He’s exactly the sort of player the Patriots should be developing behind the scenes.

Round 7, Pick No. 231: Will Reichard, kicker, Alabama

The Patriots clearly need to reconsider their kicking situation. That isn’t to suggest they close the book on Chad Ryland after a rocky rookie season, but they do need to bring in some real competition. Reichard was arguably the best kicker in the country last season. He might be able to provide the sort of consistency to the Patriots’ special teams unit that Ryland could not.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New England Patriots mock NFL draft prediction